Certain things we can do to protect our homes (suggested by the police)

• You should always make sure that your doors and windows are locked securely when you are getting ready to go out. An open window is an invitation to a burglar.

• You should check that all valuables are locked up safely. Burglars will help themselves to¹ anything they can get their hands on², so never leave anything precious³ just lying around.

• Another good idea is to leave a light on in the house when you go out for the evening, but it’s important to remember that burglars are not stupid. There are people who leave their hall lights on, but how many people do you know who spend the evening sitting in the hall?

• As an extra safety measure, you could leave the radio on, or the television, so that there is some noise to scare off⁴ the burglars. Don’t leave it on too loud, though, or your neighbours won’t be happy – especially if you are late home.

• The best thing you can do to prevent your house from being burgled is to install a burglar alarm. These are fairly expensive, but they are by far the best way to secure your home. And then of course you need to remember to set it every time you leave the house.

• Another thing you can do is to let your neighbours know when you are going to be away and ask them to keep an eye on⁵ your house. You can offer to do the same for them, too.

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¹to help oneself to something – брать что-то себе

²to get one’s hands on something – получить доступ, добраться до чего-то

³precious /'preSqs/ - драгоценный

⁴to scare off /"skeqr'Pf/ - отпугнуть

⁵to keep an eye on something/somebody – присматривать за чем-то/кем-то

Task 25. Read the text again, then talk about how you would prevent your house from being burgled. Use the following expressions:

I am (not) going to …

I intend to …

I‘ll remember (not) to …

Task 26. Answer the questions.

1. Do you live in a house or a flat?

2. Does the house/flat belong to your family or do you rent it?

3. If you live in a flat, what floor is it on?

4. How long have you lived here?

5. How far from the center of the city is it?

6. Are there any parks and recreation facilities in your neighbourhood?

7. Is your neighbourhood safe and clean?

8. Is it noisy or quiet in your flat?

9. Is it far from the roads and the traffic?

10. How large is your flat?

11. How many rooms are there in your flat?

12. Does it have a balcony?

13. Is there a beautiful view from your balcony or from any of the rooms?

14. Is your flat light or dark?

15. Is it warm in your flat in rainy and cold weather?

16. Is your flat old or new?

17. Is it in good condition or does it need a good repair?

18. Have you got a room of your own or do you share the room with anybody?

19. Is your room large and light?

20. How many windows are there in your room?

21. Where does your room face?

22. Is there much furniture in your room?

23. Do you like your room and your flat?

24. What do you do to prevent your home from being burgled?

Task 27. Tell the class about your flat.

Task 28. Translate the texts in writing.

1. HOUSES

After World War II, many cities had been flattened by bombing, slums needed clearing, and a growing number of workers in the new industries that developed after the war had to be housed¹. High-rise estates grew rapidly.

Nowadays most people try to avoid living in blocks of flats (what the Americans call “apartment blocks”). Flats, they feel, provide the least amount of privacy. The dislike of living in flats is very strong. The blocks are unsuitable for families with children, who cannot play safely outside. The open walkways², staircases, and communal lifts invite crime and vandalism. There is graffiti over the walls.

With a few exceptions, mostly in certain locations in central London, flats are the cheapest kind of home. The people who live in them are those who cannot afford to live anywhere else.

Flats are unpopular not only because they do not give enough privacy. It is also because they do not allow enough scope for the expression of individuality. People like to choose the colour of their own front door and window frames, and also to choose what they are going to do with a little bit of outside territory, however small that may be.

In most developed countries high-rise housing estates are no longer built and many of the existing estates are slowly being replaced. The current trend is for low-rise housing, which, wherever possible, gives people their own private backyards.

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¹to be housed – быть обеспеченным жильём

²walkway – аллея, пешеходная дорожка